FID – Chapter 798

Chapter 798 — This Pekingese is a prince?

“How is the situation on General Shi’s side?”

Inside the cabin, the four of them sat around a low table as Feng Qingbai asked.

After ten days sailing, with little else to do while stuck on the boat, they had plenty of time for conversation.

“Qin Xiao’s army is highly disciplined and extremely cohesive. Uncle Chang spent two years to successfully plant agents there, but trying to shake the foundation of his forces in a short time will be very difficult,” Shi Xianrou replied seriously when it came to business.

It wasn’t that she was exaggerating Qin Xiao’s abilities. The man was indeed an exceptionally talented general.

Leading troops into battle was second nature to him, and his reputation was illustrious. Under his command, meritorious service and rewards were fairly distributed, and anyone capable had the chance to rise.

He didn’t even need to actively curry favor; their loyalty came naturally.

Feng Qingbai fell into deep thought, his fingers habitually tapping lightly on his knee.

Seeing this, the other three remained silent, not wanting to disturb his thoughts.

At present, with no active battles on the border, Qin Xiao was staying in the capital holding an official post — but trying to strip him of military power with a cup of wine was out of the question.

He couldn’t be easily subdued.

How can we strip away his power and weaken the threat he poses to Feng Mohan?

Yan Qi and Uncle Peng sat quietly in another corner of the cabin.

Leaning against the side of the ship, the young man’s eyes occasionally slid over to the man who was lost in thought.

It seemed that Prince wasn’t trying to hide their conversation from him — was it trust, or was it indifference?

The man now seemed to exude an aura of authority, a sense of distance so vast that it was almost unapproachable, completely different from the one who had been casually playing with the village youths in the Qing River of Xinghua Village.

Feng Qingbai was quite unlike what the rumors described. What kind of person was he really?

A shadow flickered in his eyes as he picked up the pen and paper beside him. He wrote a few words and passed them over.

Over the past few days in the cabin, this was how he had been communicating with them.

When the paper was handed over, the man glanced at him briefly, his face showing no particular emotion.

—— If war breaks out on the borders and Qin Xiao cannot lead the troops, the right to command the military will naturally pass to someone capable.

Feng Qingbai curled his lips. This little wolf cub was even more ruthless than he had imagined.

“General Qin is one of the pillars of our military, in good health, and exceptional in martial arts. Why would he be unable to go to war if the borders are in danger?”

Shi Xianrou raised an eyebrow. “Does Xiao Qi mean that we should create some trouble ourselves, perhaps poison the general or injure him somehow?”

Yan Qi lowered his gaze and remained silent.

There were plenty of ways to make someone unable to go to war. Each person here had their own schemes, as crafty and calculating as his, so there was no need for him to offer advice.

“This method is not advisable,” Liu Yusheng was the first to shake his head. “General Qin is indeed a great threat in the court, but his deterrence on the borders is unmatched. If he falls, the soldiers of Nanling will lose their footing, and it will give the enemy an opportunity. At that point, the entire Nanling will be in danger.”

“That’s right. Between two harms, we should choose the lesser one. Qin Xiao cannot be harmed. Unless a general even more powerful than him emerges in our country,” Qian Wanjin agreed.

Feng Qingbai stared at them, but he didn’t offer an opinion. His gaze was deep and inscrutable, making it impossible for anyone to read his thoughts.

On the eighth day of the voyage, a pigeon landed at the front of the boat.

Wei Zi reported, “Master, there’s been unusual activity in Dongyue.”

Everyone in the cabin sat up straight and looked at Feng Qingbai.

The secret letter was passed to his hands. He unfolded it. There were only a few words, but they made Feng Qingbai frown.

“Dongyue has caused trouble on the borders, accusing Nanling of harboring the Dongyue traitors. Either we hand them over, or we prepare for battle.”

Yan Qi instantly tightened his lips, his eyes darkening with hostility.

“Traitors and rebels? What’s going on?” Liu Yusheng asked, still unaware, her eyes full of confusion.

She saw that both Feng Qingbai and Shi Xianrou were looking at Yan Qi.

Yan Qi?!

“What exactly is going on? Feng Qingbai, Xianrou, do you know Xiao Qi’s true identity?”

“The Seventh Prince of Dongyue, Yan Rongjin,” Feng Qingbai ruffled her head. “Previously, people from Dongyue searched secretly in the capital, but they didn’t find him. Logically, they wouldn’t dare to provoke us without solid evidence. Dongyue’s national strength is still inferior to Nanling’s. This time, they must have found the proof they needed.”

“There’s something suspicious about this,” Shi Xianrou added.

Liu Yusheng didn’t pay attention to their conversation anymore but instead fixed her gaze on the young boy, who looked stern. She studied him from top to bottom, left to right. She couldn’t connect Yan Qi with the Seventh Prince of Dongyue at all.

He didn’t seem like him at all.

This Pekingese dog is a prince?

“Xiao Qi, did you sense something was wrong, which is why you rushed to heal your injuries and didn’t want to return to the capital?”

The boy looked at her deeply, then wrote down four characters—‘Nowhere to hide.’

Although his expression remained calm, Liu Yusheng could sense from those four words a deep sorrow, a sense of helplessness, and hatred.

“Feng Qingbai, what do you plan to do?” Liu Yusheng raised her eyes to look at the man. “Are you going to hand Xiao Qi over?”

The person was right on their ship. If Feng Qingbai had such intentions, then Yan Qi and Uncle Peng would have no way of escaping.

It was clear that the two also understood this, so when they looked at Feng Qingbai again, their eyes had already shown signs of vigilance and wariness.

“We are two days away from reaching the suburban dock of the capital. Later, I will have people dock at a nearby port,” Feng Qingbai glanced at Liu Yusheng, but his words were directed at Yan Qi and his servant. “At that time, you can choose your path. However, you definitely cannot go to the capital. Otherwise, I fear I will have to go back on my previous promise.”

Uncle Peng immediately bowed and cupped his hands, “Thank you for your great kindness, Your Highness!”

If they returned to the capital with him, and their whereabouts were discovered to be linked to the King of Nanling, it would be tantamount to confirming Yan Rongwei’s accusations. 

Under pressure, Feng Qingbai would inevitably have to hand them over. He could not risk causing turmoil in Nanling just to protect the two of them from Dongyue.

The only solution was to have them leave midway, and after that, whether they lived or died, it would depend on their fate.

The passenger ship docked at a small town one and a half days from the capital. Before Yan Qi and Uncle Peng left, Liu Yusheng gave them more medicine to continue treating his throat injury. 

After nearly half a month of treatment, she had done all she could for Yan Qi. If he continued to take the medicine for another half month, he would recover without any issues.

The two of them stood at the dock, watching the passenger ship leave again. They waited until the ship disappeared from view before turning and blending into the crowd.

On the ship, Liu Yusheng was feeling a bit down.

“By the looks of you, you must have known Xiao Qi’s identity from the start. Not a single one of you told me.”

Feng Qingbai chuckled, “Actually, from the very beginning, he made his identity clear to you. It’s just that you didn’t notice.”

“How do you know?”

“Do you remember the jade piece he gave you?”

Liu Yusheng thought for a moment and remembered the uniquely shaped Qilin jade. She looked at Feng Qingbai, puzzled. “That jade piece was his seal? His identification?”

It was special in shape, but she hadn’t noticed anything unusual. If it was a seal, at least one side should have characters. If it represented identity, there should have been a badge or something on it.

Feng Qingbai sighed, “That is the jade seal used by the Emperor of Dongyue when he ascends the throne—the Imperial Jade Seal.”

The three of them simultaneously recoiled in shock.